Taking Care of New Guinea Pigs

I need help with my 2 adopted guinea pigs. First of all, I know nothing about them.

They are both very shy, will this get better? Also, I put their cages in my daughters room, and they were just cleaned, but they smell. It's not an offensive smell, but not very good either. Would Marshall's By-Odor be good to take care of this? Is it safe for the pigs? I want to litter train them, any tips ? Lastly, when I bring them out of their cage to roam around, they never move from the spot that I put them in. Is this because they are not used to being out of their cage? They were owned by two boys that brought them to Petco to be adopted because the boys wanted lizards instead of the pigs. Any help would be greatly appreciated !! Thanks!

I am not a Guinea pig owner so this is just from knowing a few. Guinea pigs I've known like to have a place to hide. It is normal for them to look for a place to burrow, especially if they are feeling insecure. A friend of mine had one that liked to hide in the wood pile. That's just how they are. Anytime they are out in the open, they will not feel safe so it might be a natural thing for them to freeze. Try to find places where they can feel protected.

I had six guinea pigs. They were fun wonderful pets. First you should know that they tend to be cautious by nature. You cannot litter train a guinea pig. They will go wherever they are whenever they have to go, and that includes in their food dish (I know, yuck.)

Using cedar chips will help with the odor, but they have to be changed no less than once a week.

They need lots of fresh fruit and vegetables (they are vegetarians) and something to chew on all of the time, or they will chew on your wires, your shoes, your furniture, etc. Fruit tree branches are excellent if you have any available. And don't forget to check the water bottle every time you refill it to be sure those little balls in the sipper tube are working properly. They can get stuck and your little ones won't be able to get any water.

The rest is a lot of common sense and figuring out as you go what they like and don't like. Have fun! If you want more information, just let me know.

OK first, NO CEDAR chips. The resins from cedar is toxic to ALL animals. Use pine shavings or the newer paper based littler. Orange juice in water bottle once a week. G Pigs need the vitamin C. Veggies along with pellets and hay. Do not let them jump off of any height. Keep nails trimmed, feet clean. NO BATHS ever, no drafts. They are prone to respritory problems. They squeak and 'purr', squeal too. Nice little pets. Average life expectancy, 5 years. Be gentle and loving and they will love you back. Males can be neutered. Check the sexes, make sure you have the same sex of both or seperate them. Unless you want babies. Val

I have read my guinea pig handbook a few times and I now have two sweet female guinea pigs (or cavy sows). Mine were shy as well for a bit but I discovered that if you spend a lot of time with your Cavy, even just sitting on the couch watching TV with them resting on your chest petting them and speaking gently, they develop trust in you.

When they make a low purring noise and vibrate a little don't be afraid! This is a good thing. Stop petting after a few and let the roam at arms length (just in case they try to jump!) They should sniff the air and hopefully make little chutting noises. If the get scared they usually run back to you and cuddle up.

Some Cavys will never litter box train but you can try! Get a special Cavy litter box and fill it with bedding (NOT KITTY LITTER!) put some of their waste in and hopefully they get the hint. PLEASE don't punish them in any way if they are unable to train! Again, some never will. Don't freak if you see them tasting their poo, its normal and necessary for nutrition and health. Strange but true!

As for the smell, well thats their urine! They have the ability to concentrate it into a thick and creamy substance thats 2xs the smell! Try putting newspaper under the bedding to avoid crusty urine deposits on the pan. Don't forget to clean their cage AT LEAST once a week! Also the sipper tubes should be cleaned and refilled everyday, not just when empty. Bacteria can grow and cause illness otherwise. Check to see if the ball is working (with a clean finger) often.

I know that's a lot of stuff to remember but soon it will be routine. Buy a copy of The Guinea Pig Handbook by Sharon L. Vanderlip, D.V.M from your local pet store =] Hope this helped!